Iran Slams US Hormuz Blockade as 'Piracy'

(MENAFN) Iran's military has fired back against Washington's sweeping maritime restrictions Monday, denouncing the US naval blockade as a brazen act of piracy in direct violation of international law.

"The restrictions imposed by criminal America on maritime navigation and transit in international waters are illegal and constitute piracy," said a statement issued by Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the unified command of the Iranian armed forces.

In a significant escalation of its response, Tehran declared it would move swiftly to enforce a permanent control mechanism over the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world's most strategically vital waterways — in direct retaliation against US threats, the statement said.

The warning extended beyond the strait itself, with Iran putting the entire region on notice: no port across the Persian Gulf or the Gulf of Oman would be considered safe should Iranian ports come under any form of threat, it added.

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